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EPISODE THREE: Bad Boy Swag

PREVIOUSLY ON…. SURVIVOR!

After Everett became the first player voted out, Sheena took charge at Koryok. She and the other castaways who had blindsided Everett–Maurice, Tallulah and Nick–formalized their four person alliance. However, Naomi and Teddy had both been left out of the vote, and felt the pressure to salvage their positions with the tribe. Teddy tried to make a place for himself as a provider–to mixed results–while Naomi focused on building her connection with Nick.

When Koryok lost their second challenge in a row, Maurice was sent to Exile Island, where he learned two big twists–that the idol is hidden back at camp; and that exiled castaways have the option to switch tribes. Unable to search for the idol, Maurice used his time on Exile Island for self-reflection.

Having won the reward challenge, the Yenisei Tribe earned themselves some new tribemates in the form of a small herd of goats and chickens. Vince continued to prove himself as a jack of all trades by milking the goats, not only allowing him to feed the tribe, but also allowing him to deepen the relationship between him, Charlotte and Zeke.

These relationship didn’t go unnoticed, as both Gunnar and Mandy found themselves wary of the Pastor Zeke and his influence over the tribe. But the bond between Zeke, Vince and Charlotte wasn’t the only one on Yenisei–Adele and Huang were also getting very close, very quickly, and the romantic nature of their relationship had many of the other players concerned and suspicious.

At the Immunity Challenge, Yenisei rebuffed Adele’s suggested strategy, and Koryok staged a comeback. With Koryok claiming Immunity, Yenisei was slated for their first Tribal Council. Though Olivia appeared to be an obvious outsider, her strong performance in the challenge lead the tribe to look elsewhere. While Adele and Huang wanted to vote out Charlotte, the oldest woman on the tribe, Zeke and his allies found themselves targeting Adele, who was nursing a foot injury that limited her ability to perform in challenges and around camp. Gunnar, Mandy, and Olivia found themselves in the middle, with the power to tilt the vote in either direction. Though Huang stayed true to his alliance, Adele received everyone elses vote, and became the second person voted out of Survivor: Siberia.

Fourteen remain. Who will be voted out tonight?

A cool mist rolls across the taiga. The Yenisei Tribe returns to their camp, torches in hand. Nobody seems particularly happy.

“Well, I can only speak for myself, but that was f*cking horrible,” Vince says, breaking the ice.

“It was, wasn’t it?” Olivia agrees.

“Let’s hope we don’t have to do that again,” Zeke tells him, placing his torch against a tree.

“We just had our first Tribal Council, and Addy ended up being the one to go, and uh… it sucks,” he laughs, dejected. “She was my closest person out here, without question. We have a lot in common, with us both leaving home young to pursue our dreams. We had a real connection beyond just physical attraction. So not only does it hurt my game, but it’s hard on my emotions, too. I didn’t think I’d care this much about people six days in.”

“Hey guys,” Huang begins, addressing the group. “I just wanted to say, before anyone like, starts getting ready for bed or whatever, I just want everyone to know that I totally respect what happened tonight, because someone had to go home… and I get why you didn’t tell me that it was going to be Addy,” he continues. “But… I mean, why Addy over anyone else? I just want to understand the reasoning.”

“Honestly, dude? Her foot,” Gunnar says. “It was just too much of a gamble, trying to guess if she’d get better or not.”

“It wasn’t only her foot, not for me,” Vince says as he puts his sweater on. “She’s a good kid, Huang, but I don’t like the making excuses! And she had the nerve to tell me I don’t deserve a vote. I bust my ass around here, every damn day! That really jostles my bread basket, that sh*t right there.”

“Please, Vincent, try to calm down,” Charlotte says, rubbing his shoulders. “No one here thinks you don’t contribute, I promise. Addy was trying to throw anyone she could under the bus to save herself. It’s over now, the votes are cast, so let it go. Don’t take it so personally.”

“It is personal though!” Vince exclaims.

“It’s what makes this game so complicated,” Charlotte ponders. How do you vote someone out without it being personal?”

“Oh, that reminds me,” Huang says, “If it does feel personal to you, Charlotte, I totally understand, and if you don’t want to talk about it, that’s fine… but I’m sorry for voting against you tonight.”

“Don’t worry about it,” Charlotte says with a smile. “I know you weren’t going to write her name down. Let’s just please focus on moving on–as a team.”

“I’m in full agreement there,” Zeke says.

“… but then again, it is only six days in. There is plenty of time for me to regroup and keep moving forward. There are still people on the tribe that I get along with, even if I’m not as close to them as I was to Addy. So there is still plenty of time for me to find new alliances that I can trust in. And being one of the stronger players on the team, I feel like I have a pretty good shot of staying safe from here on out, because I think everyone knows without me, we won’t stand a chance in the challenges. It’s hard, but I need to move on, and I think I have a real chance to start digging into these, you know, these other connections and make them into something more secure for myself.”

“Zeke?” Charlotte asks the pastor. “Would we… be able to pray together? About tonight?”

“Of course, of course!” Zeke tells her, smiling. “There’s no better times than hard times for us to reach out to God for peace and guidance.”

Together around the fire, Zeke, Charlotte, Vince, Huang and Gunnar take hands.

“Ladies?” Charlotte asks, turning to Olivia and Mandy. “If you’d like, the Reverend is going to say a short prayer…”

“Oh. Sure,” Olivia says, standing up from the fire with a sigh.

“You know what? I’m good,” Mandy says, giving a thumbs up. “I’m not in much of a prayer mood.”

“Are you sure?” Charlotte asks, raising an eyebrow.

“God’s always ready to listen,” Zeke interjects. “And you don’t need a pastor to talk to Him. Mandy can pray for herself, if and when she wants to.”

“Thanks,” Mandy says coldly. With a sigh, Charlotte averts her gaze from Mandy and closes her eyes, facing downward as Zeke begins to pray.

“Oh, Dear Loving Heavenly Father, our Lord Jesus Christ,” Zeke begins. “Thank you for your blessings on this evening, for allowing us each to continue on this adventure. Thank you for the fortitude to make a difficult decision. And please, on this night, bless Adele, who now more than ever needs to know and appreciate how loved and valued she is…”

As the group prays, Mandy’s eyes flit around the circle of castaways, stopping on Charlotte.

“We voted out Addy, which is fine with me. Even if she hadn’t been injured, she’s not someone I really needed for my game. But Charlotte isn’t much better. I already don’t like her, and she was so defensive at Tribal Council, because she thought I was calling her a liar. Like, come on. I’m from Texas, okay? I’ve been around Charlotte’s type of ‘Christian’ before, the type who tells you only God can judge you before they turn around and start gossiping behind your back. Her faith isn’t real, it’s a delusion to protect her from having to feel bad about herself. As far as I’m concerned, she’s on borrowed time.”

Birds chirp up in the trees, greeting each other with morning-time songs. The sound of buzzing insects can be heard humming low in the distance.

The camera focuses in on the end of a sprig of needles at the end of a pine branch, wavering slowly. Nick holds the twig in his hand, a black substance smeared all over the end of the stick. He’s in the shelter, delicately holding the stick over a sleeping Sheena’s face. Gently and slowly, he puts the tip of the stick under her nose and begins to draw.

“So Everett never packed his stuff, I guess just because he was that confident he didn’t need to? I don’t know what was going through his head,” he laughs. “But uh, his one luxury item he brought was shoe polish, which is great for me because there isn’t exactly a Blick or a Utrecht you can run to for art supplies out in the middle of nowhere. And I was just kind of bored around camp, and I thought to myself maybe I should do something nice for my good friend Sheena. And she’s always telling me how much she likes my mustache, so I thought she might want one too,” he chuckles.

Sheena jolts awake just as Nick has finished his masterpiece.

“You better not have put a bug on me Nick, or I swear to god I’m going to unscrew your head from your body!” she says, jumping to her feet.

“That’s not it at all,” Nick says, barely able to contain his laughter.

“Okay what did he do to me guys?” Sheena asks, whipping towards the fire where Tallulah, Teddy and Hannah are sitting. They all begin to laugh upon seeing Sheena’s face.

“You look very fashion forward,” Teddy tells her.

“Oh darling,” giggles Tallulah.

“Here Henry Cavill,” Hannah offers, handing Sheena her makeup palette. Sheena opens it to look at herself in the mirror. Nick has drawn a mustache on her with swirly, looping ends. Sheena bursts into laughter at her own reflection.

“Well played, Nick. Well played,” she says. “But you better sleep with one eye open, because before you know it… I will have my revenge!”

“You can’t sneak up on me,” Nick says. “I’ve got eyes on the back of my neck!”

He turns around, pointing to the tattoo on the back of his neck, which is of a single, cyclopian eye.

“Then you’ll see this coming!” Sheena says, leaping onto his back, as if he’s a beast of burden. Nick wobbles but manages to stay upright.

“Giddyup pony!” Sheena says, giving Nick’s rear a friendly smack. Nick makes a failed attempt at a braying sound and begins to run off, the tribe continuing to laugh at their behavior. As Nick goes off with Sheena riding him, Maurice comes back into camp, carrying a humongous load of firewood.

“Sheena and Nick are like brother and sister out here. They love each other, but they can’t help but get in each other’s hair. They’re always trying to pull pranks on each other, they’re always coming up with things to joke about, just ways to keep each other and everyone else laughing. I’m definitely more of a quiet type, so I appreciate having people who are good at being the life of the party. It keeps camp lively and keeps people smiling, which is good for the whole team.”

Nick walks over to the shelter, where his bag is resting at the bottom. He picks it up and takes out his luxury item, a Etch-A-Sketch. Upon looking at the scream, he busts into laughter.

“Sheena!” he yells out. “Sheena, did you do this?”

“Did I do what, draw a dick on your Etch-A-Sketch?” Sheena asks from the campfire.

“I’ll take that as a yes,” Nick says.

“It’s a no, actually,” Sheena says, sipping from her canteen. “Tallulah did it.”

“It’s funny to me because I’m the youngest person on this tribe, but sometimes I feel like I’m one of the oldest, just because I’m kind of one of the more responsible one. But I’m okay with that, at home I’m the oldest of my siblings and I’m used to being the one my parents would turn to because they know I’d be responsible enough to get things done. And don’t get me wrong, I love my kid sisters, but I also know that when you’re the oldest, the younger ones like to gang up on you. I’m in an alliance with Nick and Sheena, and I do trust them, but they’re closer to each other than they are to me, and I don’t want them to be the little siblings that gang up on me out here.”

As Sheena and Nick continue to play wrestle, Maurice walks over to the fire to join Tallulah.

“Oh goodness, and no calling me ma’am!” Tallulah laughs. “I have a name, Maurice. It’s fine if you use it just as it is. We’re friends, right?”

“Oh, yeah!” Maurice says, smiling genuinely. “Of course we are!”

“Then it’s okay for you to talk to me like a friend, Maurice. Like an equal. I didn’t pick when I was born. Age means I’ve had more time to learn lessons than you, that’s not a fair advantage. It’s not something I’ve earned, it’s just something that is.”

“I understand, Tallulah,” Maurice says. “It’s a habit, what can I say? Just how I was raised.”

“Tallulah Mae is exactly the type of person I was hoping I’d get to meet on this journey. Someone who’s life is just completely different from mine who I can learn new things from. And I think she also sees that we’re kind of in the same position in our alliance cause of how close the other two are. I trust Nick and Sheena, but not as much as I trust Tallulah Mae. When Everett was gunning after me, Tallulah is the one who came to me and blew his whole plan to smithereens. If it weren’t for her, I’d be toast. And actions speak louder than words, so to really show her that trust, I decided to tell her about Exile Island. ”

Maurice and Tallulah walk together in the forest, carrying the tackle box as they head down to the water.

“I appreciate that you didn’t ask me about the idol when I got back from Exile,” Maurice says.

“Well I know it’s gotta be rough out there, all alone. Even for a tough guy like you,” Tallulah says. “And besides, it’s none of my business. You’ve got your own brain for making your own decisions. I figured if you wanted to say something, you’d say it on your own time.”

“Maurice decides to tell me some secrets about Exile Island, and let me tell you, there were some surprises he had in store for me! I almost had to sit down because if I didn’t? I might have fallen over in shock. Woulda cracked my head on a tree trunk and they’da called the chopper to lift me out of here, goodnight Tallulah Mae! This game changes minute by minute and I love it!”

“So… first thing, just to get it out of the way, just because I’m sure you’re wondering–I don’t have the idol.” Maurice says.

“But you have a clue?” Tallulah asks.

“Yes, and you’ll never guess what it says–the idol ain’t out there on Exile!”

“What do you mean it’s not out there?” Tallulah asks, confused. “Where else could it possibly be?”

“Here, Tallulah Mae. At camp,” Maurice reveals.

“Are you pulling my leg?”

“I swear, Tallulah Mae, I’d never. The clue was clear.”

“What else did the clue say?” Tallulah asks. “We have to look for it!”

“Nothing,” Maurice says, shaking his head. “There’s only the one clue so far, and that’s all it said, it ain’t at exile, it’s at camp. And that’s not a lot to go on, so it’s why I’m trusting you. We need to keep our eyes out. But also, think about this–if someone from the other tribe went instead–”

“There’s one at the other camp!” Tallulah exclaims. “There are two idols, Maurice!”

“It’s like I’m watching an infomercial, when the announcer is going ‘but wait, there’s more! Not only does it slice and dice, but it makes julienne fries! So not only are there two idols hidden at the camps instead of on Exile Island, but if you get exiled, you get the option to switch tribes! That’s huge. And Maurice is the only one who has gone so far, so that means nobody else in the entire game knows this yet. So we’ve got a big advantage, but unfortunately not a lot else to go on. Still, information is power, so every leg up is welcome.”

“I think it’s really important that we keep our eyes peeled, just… thinking about where around here it might be,” Maurice says, “because really, it could be anywhere. If it’s buried in the ground, I mean… we’ll never just stumble on it like that,” he laughs.

“It might be in a tree,” Tallulah suggests, “in the water… it could be somewhere in camp itself. It could be right in front of our noses. It could be right under our feet right now, for all we know,” she says, furrowing her brow as she begins to think over the possibilities.

“Believe me, all I had time to do out there was think it over,” Maurice says. “I don’t even know where to begin.”

“Well, as long as we win today’s challenge,” Tallulah says, “nobody from this tribe is going to Exile Island. And as long as we keep things that way, nobody will know about the idol but us. We’ll have as much time to look as we need.” She pauses, collecting another branch. “Unless there’s anyone else you plan on telling,” she adds.

“If I can’t find the idol, of course the next best thing would be for someone else in the alliance to find it. But I don’t feel like it’s at point yet where there’s any need to tell Sheena or Nick. If I can actually find it, I’ll let them know, but I don’t want them getting a chance to look for it quite yet. I strongly doubt that Everett will be the only person who calls me a threat and tries to get me voted out in this game, and I’d feel a lot better having that extra layer of protection on me if I can get it. ”

Charlotte hums to herself as she stirs a pot of buckwheat porridge. Vince is tinkering with something near the shelter.

Meanwhile, Gunnar and Huang are out in the meadow. Huang holds one of the goats still while Gunnar milks it.

“I’ve been wanting to talk with you since Tribal Council,” Gunnar says between spurts of milk shooting out of the udders. “But I know that you and Addy were close, so I didn’t want to ambush you right after that vote out happened, so like… please don’t think that because I didn’t come to you last night that, like, I don’t know… I’m not sincere, or anything like that.”

“Are you kidding me dude?” Huang asks. “I totally believe you, no worries. Like, I hope this doesn’t sound too cocky but I was pretty sure that I’d be safe,” he laughs. “I mean… just because of challenges and all. But there’s that one teeny little piece of doubt that just won’t go away, you know?”

“I think any smart player would be a little nervous if they were left out of a vote,” Gunnar says, “so that’s really why I just want to let you know that as far as I’m concerned, you’re not going anywhere. And quite frankly, I trust you. Like, I get the feeling that even if you knew how it was going down last night, you weren’t going to turn your back on your girl. You wouldn’t have ever voted Addy just because everyone else was.”

“You’re dead on, bro,” Huang says. “If I tell you I’m with you, that’s for real. I didn’t tell that to anyone but Addy, I promise. I’m willing to make that same deal with you man, right now.”

“I don’t like to act without thinking things through, so I haven’t really reached out to try and commit to anyone quite yet. I’ve wanted to take my time and be observant about people, so I’ve kind of been by myself so far. I think that Zeke just kind of assumes I’m with him, because I’ve never said otherwise, but I think Zeke is the biggest threat on this entire tribe, and maybe in the whole game. Huang is someone who I think is a genuinely loyal guy, and quite frankly, him just having lost his closest ally? It means he’s going to be looking for someone else to link up with, so I wanted to make sure I swooped in and made that connection before Zeke or his minions could.”

“So from your perspective…” Huang asks, “who do you think is next?”

“Well,” Gunnar says, standing up and grabbing the now filled bucket, “are you good to vote Charlotte again?”

“I mean, if that’s what everyone else wants, then yeah,” Huang says, “but the only reason I voted for her last time is because that’s the only other name I heard from people. If I had to pick…” Huang pauses, trying to decide if he wants to give Gunnar a name, “I think Olivia, honestly. I just feel like Charlotte is a lot more trustworthy than Olivia. Something about Olivia is just… I don’t trust her,” Huang says, shrugging.

“Olivia doesn’t really talk to anyone but Mandy, and it’s like… I don’t think most of the people on this tribe really care if she stays or goes. I’m actually, like, a little mad at myself, because I think for basically the whole game so far, Olivia’s been the one who is supposed to be on the chopping block, but then Addy became the target when she hurt her foot, so I kind of felt like I had to turn it on whoever I could to protect her, and so we just kind of went after Charlotte because that was the other name we heard. And I think we would have stood a better shot saving her if we had kind of like, doubled down and been like ‘hey, the plan was Olivia guys, why change the plan?’ So I’m kind of seeing this as my chance to get my game back on track. Except now instead of my closest pair being with a super hot chick, it’s with… I mean, I guess Gunnar is good looking for a dude,” he laughs.

“Uh… All right, so maybe that’s something we’ll need to talk about a little more,” Gunnar laughs. “Because, like, what I’m thinking is that Zeke, dude? He’s dangerous. Because he’s got Charlotte and Uncle Vinnie wrapped around his fingers. That’s two people who are going to write down whatever name he tells them, I don’t like anyone having that kind of power.”

“I don’t think it’s like that, man,” Huang says. “I dunno, I don’t think he’s like, leading any sort of alliance there. I think people just kind of are letting him take the leader role because he’s good at it. And I trust him more than Olivia.”

“Well that’s why we don’t have to vote him out,” Gunnar says. “Think of the challenges on top of it. I think Olivia brings way more to the table than Charlotte. Or Uncle Vinnie, honestly, it could be either one. I just don’t want to have some sort of… you know, some kind of cult situation on our hands.”

“It does worry me that Huang doesn’t seem that concerned with Zeke, and I think that’s because Zeke’s snowing him. I mean, I know he grew up in Hong Kong, I don’t know what the culture is like there in regards to religion, so I don’t know if it’s some sort of faith based thing, or if he’s just kind of drawn to Zeke because he’s such a good guy. And that’s the crazy thing about this game, is I do think Zeke really just wants to be a good leader for this tribe and help us all be the best we can be. That’s exactly why he’s a threat–who wouldn’t vote for that guy in the end?”

“What I’m thinking,” Gunnar says, “is that you and I, our best move is to make an alliance with the girls.”

“Olivia and Mandy?” Huang asks.

“Yeah,” Gunnar confirms. “We’ve got more power that way. If we go with Zeke, when it gets to five? Uncle Vinnie and Charlotte are gonna be with him, that’s three, we’re two, game over. It makes no sense.”

“Yeah, but that’s assuming we can actually trust Olivia and Mandy, and that’s what I’m worried about, that it won’t matter because we won’t get that far with them in the first place.”

“Gunnar and I are really not on the same page right now, which is tough when he’s really the person I trust the most right now,” he laughs. “But he’s got some really good points, just from a numbers perspective, it does make more sense for him and I to go with the girls. So I think what I need to do is spend a little more time with them, see if I can get a better feeling for where their heads are right now. At the end of the day, it’s not just a game of numbers, it’s a game about trust too, and I think Zeke is absolutely trustworthy, he’s not here to play a duplicitous game and win that way. So I’m just going to have to do a little more research and hopefully me and my new man can uh, make a more cohesive decision.”

At the campsite, the tribe sits around the fire on stools, lovingly fashioned by none other than Vince. Charlotte comes over from the kitchen area, and begins doling out portions of food to the tribe. When everyone has their food, Charlotte takes her own portion and joins the tribe as well, sitting down next to Zeke. Olivia is directly across from her, picking at her food.

“Olivia has been somewhat on the outs of the tribe pretty much from the start. I just… I don’t really understand her. But the Reverend has been reminding me that we don’t all need to understand each other in order to respect each other, and that God gives us all different gifts to share with the world. So I want to make an effort with Olivia, and with Mandy too. Especially now that Addy isn’t here, you know, it would be nice to have some other women to bond with. I work in the world of pageantry, I’m so used to being around women, so on a woman-to-woman level, I think having that bond would be nice.”

“Have you ever thought about participating in a pageant, Olivia?” Charlotte asks after swallowing a bite of her food. “You don’t need to be young to do one, you know. They have them for women your age.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?” Mandy snorts.

“It means what it sounds like it means,” Charlotte says, her body straightening. “That they have pageants for women of all ages. Some people think they’re only for young women, and they’re not, it’s never to late to try.”

“What I was saying,” Charlotte continues, “is not that Olivia is old, but simply that she is older than people often assume pageant contestants are. You’re making it sound like I was trying to insult her.”

“Come on, Charlotte, do you not get how that came off as insulting?” Mandy says, clearly aggravated.

“There’s only so much keeping my mouth shut I can do. When you’re in an emergency situation saving someone’s life, yeah, it’s important to recognize your role in the team and take orders, because you are working towards a common goal of saving a life. But I don’t work a shift in the ER a week straight. It’s getting so hard to not talk when I hear the crap that some of these people spew, especially Charlotte. She’s like a Stepford Wife. And of course all the guys love her because she babies them. They don’t have to do anything around camp as long as Mommy is here to take care of them. She’s full of crap and I can only let it slide for so long before I just have to say something to her.”

“Olivia can speak for herself, Mandy,” Charlotte says. “Olivia, if I offended you just now, I apologize, sincerely,” she continues. “That wasn’t my intention at all.”

“Well, Charlotte,” Olivia says, thinking, “I guess it’s just… not that I’m offended, but I’m curious. What about me makes you think I’d want to do a beauty pageant?”

“Well I don’t know if you’d want to do a beauty pageant,” Charlotte says. “That’s why I asked if it was something you might be interested in.”

“Then why didn’t you ask her what types of things she is interested in?” Mandy cuts in. “Why did you ask specifically about pageants?” Olivia asks.

“Well… I don’t know, it just came to mind!” Charlotte says, frustrated. “Have you asked me those questions?” Charlotte asks back. “Why is it all on me to reach out to you?”

“We all are,” Charlotte agrees, sipping her water. “But I do apologize, Olivia, sincerely. I didn’t mean to be backhanded or negative in any way. I just wanted to give a compliment and learn a little more about you.”

“Well thanks, Charlotte,” Olivia says sheepishly. “Uh, that’s really nice of you. Maybe we can continue learning a little more about each other later, though. Treemail should be getting here soon, so I’m going to check that?” she says, clearly a little anxious to get out the conversation.

“I’ll come with,” Mandy says, standing up.

As the women head out of camp, Zeke takes Charlotte’s hand and squeezes it.

“This game is hard on all of us, Charlotte,” Zeke tells her. “Mandy included. She’s just as human as any of us.”

“I know, Zeke. I know,” Charlotte says.

“I can tell Mandy doesn’t particularly care for me, she’s not exactly good at hiding it. And it’s, you know, it is what it is. Not everyone is going to like you, and having Zeke here… really helps me to stay aware of that fact. He reminds me every day that God has made us all different but all special, all unique with our own gifts. He doesn’t make us all to be best friends with one another. Maybe Mandy’s gifts aren’t for me to understand, and that’s fine. It’s a part of life, and having competed in pageants, where you are judged meticulously, I understand sometimes people won’t like you. But for as much as I understand it… that doesn’t keep it from hurting. When someone doesn’t like me, it really hurts. And I think that’s just who I am, who God made me to be. Someone who wants other people to be happy. And it’s hard… you can’t make everyone happy all the time. Least of all in this game.”

“That’s like, top five most annoying conversations I’ve ever been in,” Mandy says with a huff as she and Olivia walk through the forest.

“Honestly, I get she was coming from a good place,” Olivia says, “but her compliments were making me so uncomfortable.”

“She’s so condescending, I can’t handle it!” Mandy gripes. “It feels like, okay, you know what it feels like? Like she thinks we’re living in some 1950’s Leave it to Beaver TV show. Like she has no fucking problem just being a servant to these guys, like, do you have any dignity at all?”

“That’s true,” Olivia says, “but Mandy like… it’s more than that. She was giving me all those compliments on my appearance? Just imagine how she’d react now if she knew. You know, about me being…”

“Yeah,” Mandy says, frowning. “Oh, Olivia. I’m sorry. I wasn’t even thinking about that. She just gets under my skin so badly,” Mandy apologizes, pulling Olivia in for a hug.

“Mandy is the only person on the tribe that I’ve come out to. You just can never be sure how someone will take it when they learn that you’re gay, especially other women. Sometimes women who aren’t as open minded will say things like “okay, just don’t come on to me.” They just stop being comfortable around you. And some guys suddenly get really interested, like they think it’s hot, and it’s like… excuse me, I’m not a lesbian for your enjoyment! And we have some people on our tribe who are older and very religious, people like Charlotte or Vince who I don’t know how they would take it. I don’t want to risk them finding out. Like, if Charlotte knew, after all those compliments she gave me about my looks? I can just imagine it now, her getting defensive about how I better not think she was trying to come on to me.”

“She’s the one who makes me the most nervous about coming out,” Olivia continues. “Zeke is really about being open and loving, I don’t think he’d have a problem, but Charlotte?”

“I could see her voting against you for it,” Mandy says. “I think she’s literally that bitch. That type of conservative piece of sh*t who bangs their Bible like a tambourine while trampling all over the rights of anyone she feels like.”

“Ugh, that would be awful,” Olivia shudders.

The women arrive at a small clearing, where a decorative box is nailed to a tree. Mandy opens the box and removes a scroll.

“The challenge is here!” she sings.

“Read it!” Olivia says, as Mandy unfolds the scroll.

“It’s time to test your cleverness,In this test of matching wits;Reward awaits the observant,For the losers? It’s the pits.”

“No clue as to the reward, huh?” Olivia asks.

“No,” Mandy frowns. “But it sounds like a mental challenge, so I think we’ll do pretty well.”

“Here’s hoping,” Olivia says.

“From what I understand, the reason I was kept off the chopping block at Tribal Council is because I did well in the challenge, so these performances are critical for me. It’s my chance to prove that no matter what they think about me as a person, I’m a asset to the tribe. Today sounds like it’s a mental challenge, and like… I’m a forensic analyst,” she laughs. “I’m pretty good at puzzles, I really don’t mean to brag, I just think this sounds like it’s my wheelhouse. So I’m hoping that as long as I keep performing, I stay off the chopping block.”

The Koryok Tribe enters the arena first. This time, they are on a rocky outcropping, overlooking a valley below. Jeff awaits them, fourteen tables behind him, each with either a white or a blue box sitting on top. Koryok takes their place at the map, observing eagerly to see who is missing from the rival tribe.

“Koryok getting their first look at the new Yenisei Tribe,” announces Jeff as Yenisei enters. “Adele voted out at the last Tribal Council.”

“Wow,” mouths Nick to Sheena.

“Didn’t see that one coming,” Sheena whispers. Yenisei takes their place.

“I hope you guys are ready to get to your next reward challenge,” Jeff begins. “It’s a matching game. For today’s challenge, each of you will stand at one of the boxes behind me. There are five items in the box. We’ll take turns, going clockwise around the board. On your turn, you may ask any other castaway if they have an item. If they have it, they surrender it, and you can hand both of those items in as a pair to score a point from your tribe. When I say you can ask any other castaway, I mean any. Doesn’t matter if you’re on the same tribe or not.”

“Oh, interesting,” says Maurice.

“Gives you guys a chance to get to know each other a little better,” Jeff says with a grin. “There are 35 pairs of items, so the first tribe to reach 18 points wins reward. Wanna know what you’re playing for?”

Everyone cheers.

Jeff removes the cover from the prize table, revealing a pile of pillows and blankets.

“The winning tribe will go back to their camp with everything you need to make camp a little more comfortable. You’ll have pillows, blankets, as well as four chairs and a hammock. In addition, you’ll get to pick one person from the losing tribe who will be sent to Exile Island until the next Immunity Challenge. Worth playing for?”

“Yes!” cheers Sheena enthusiastically.

“All right,” Jeff says with a smile. “Well draw for spots and then go ahead and get started.”

The castaways each take a spot behind one of the boxes, as instructed.

“That’s not really what it’s called,” Hannah laughs, “I just, I don’t know I can’t think of the word right now, and the more I try the less it wants to come!”

“Feather?” offers Nick, awestruck.

“Oh no!” laughs Hannah. “Oh, that’s so bad! Feather. Yes. Charlotte, do you have a feather?”

“Mandy,” Mandy corrects again. “And… actually, yeah, I do.”

“Good job Han!” claps Maurice.

“Hannah scores for Koryok, pulling them up again! It’s now 7-9. We’re playing to 18, remember,” Jeff says.

As the game progresses, more and more matches are scored. Teddy takes a bone from Zeke. Naomi scores by matching a leaf with one from Charlotte. Olivia makes a match for Yenisei when she matches a horn with one from Mandy. They fist bump as Olivia walks over.

After some time has passed, the score sits at 13 points for Koryok and 14 for Yenisei.

“Maurice, you’re up,” Jeff says. Maurice’s eyes narrow as he glances around him, trying to recall which items have popped up and where.

“Zeke,” he finally settles. “My friend, do you have… a claw?”

“I do,” Zeke says. “But you’re coming over here for it,” he taunts.

“Maurice with a match,” Jeff announces as Maurice places his pair. “We’re tied up now, 14-14. Four more points to win the challenge,” he reminds them. “Huang, you’re up.”

“Okay,” Huang says, trying to think. “Maurice, do you have… uh, a claw?”

The rest of the Koryok Tribe triumphantly claps and cheers as Hannah brings over the two beaks to Jeff. Most of the Yenisei’s clap as well, albeit much more politely.

“That makes 18 points for Koryok,” Jeff says. “Which means…

KORYOK! WINS REWARD!”

The castaways now stand once again at their respective mats, Koryok excitedly awaiting their rewards.

“Good work, Koryok,” Jeff says. “It was another close challenge, and once again you guys pulled it off. But before you head back to camp with these comfort items, there is one more order of business,” Jeff says. “You need to pick one person from Yenisei who will go to Exile Island. Who is it going to be?”

The Yenisei’s huddle together, whispering among themselves. Everyone seems to come to an agreement.

“I think we wanna know where that idol is, Jeff,” Sheena says. “And I think if we send someone who is smart enough to find it, we’ll know exactly where it is. So we’ve decided we’re going to send Olivia.”

Olivia looks a little surprised. “Me?” she says, somewhat stunned.

“Yeah, you,” Sheena says.

“Is this unexpected, Olivia?” asks Jeff.

“I mean… you can’t really expect anything when it comes to the other tribe, I don’t’ know them, really, I don’t know their strategies or anything like that. But I just kind of thought that they’d do what we did and just send one of our most physical players.

“Well thanks, I guess,” Olivia shrugs. Mandy gives her a hug after Olivia grabs her bag.

“See you soon, babe,” Mandy whispers.

“Olivia,” Jeff says, handing her a map, “you’ll follow this to Exile Island. You’ll remain and rejoin your tribe at the start of the next Immunity Challenge. You can head out.”

“Bye guys,” Olivia says, waving to her tribe. Her tribe waves back to her as she heads off into the distance.

“Koryok,” Jeff continues, “grab your reward, and you can start heading back to camp.”

“Thanks Jeff,” Maurice says as he grabs the large, rolled up hammock. The others grab the pillows and blankets as the head off, Tallulah with the flag.

“Yenisei, sadly for you, I’ve got nothing else except a few days down a tribe member. Grab your stuff, head back to camp.”

Olivia arrives at Exile Island, a smile on her face as she approaches the Ovoo.

“I’m actually excited to be at Exile Island. Nobody from Yenisei has been able to come here yet, so we’re all super curious about what it’s like, and I mean… this place is beautiful. Untouched wild as far as the eye can see. It’s like another planet compared to Indianapolis. No crime to analyze here,” she laughs. “But a lot of archaeological importance. There was an ancient culture, called the Pazyryk, that lived here thousands of years ago. Everything we know about their culture came from this place. It’s awe inspiring, honestly. I’m just really glad to be here and not back at camp, especially after how weird things got this morning.”

She opens the scroll that awaits her at the Ovoo and reads it to herself.

“The tribe swap twist? I didn’t see that coming,” she laughs. “But how could I? Why would I suspect that, over anything else? I’m not gonna lie, when I read that it was a really tempting option. The idea of not having to go back to Yenisei is really, really appealing. I just don’t fit in over there. But I couldn’t do that to Mandy. Not to mention that I think we’re in a pretty good spot right now, with Gunnar and Huang. We’ve got four votes to three, so even though I don’t really like a lot of these people, I’m in the majority and that’s all that matters. If I can an idol to that, that would be even better.”

“I’ll take this,” Olivia says opening the box with the idol clue. “Clue number one,” she reads. “You’ve chosen well, for this cryptic clue could ward the vote away rom you; but you won’t find it on these plains, search once you are home again.’ Well,” she laughs, “I can safely say that I did not see that development in the works. Alright, and clue two:”

“They often say life is shades of gray,That nothing is black or white;Perhaps they would say otherwiseWith an idol in their sight.”

“Oh good,” Olivia says, chuckling. “It’s perfectly straightforward and easy to figure out! And by straight forward I mean… f*ck. I have no damn clue,” she laughs.

“The first part of the clue was pretty cut and dry–the idol isn’t even out here on Exile Island, it’s back at camp somewhere! So that’s kind of gotten my wheels turning. As for where at camp it is specifically… I mean, who knows? This second clue could mean a lot of different things. It’s talking about how nothing is black or white, but you wouldn’t think that if you had an idol? So I feel like it’s basically saying I’ll know it when I see it. But how, that’s what I’m wondering? Does it just say ‘Idol’ on it? Will there be a banner and confetti that drop out of nowhere if I pick it up? I mean… I have nothing to do out here except mull this over, so maybe something will come to mind later. But I hope I can figure out, because I really want that idol. As much as I feel pretty secure for the moment, things can change just like that in this game,” she says as she snaps her fingers.

With a sigh, she goes to the fire pit that Maurice left behind from his Exile, and she begins to start trying to get a spark with the flint.

“Case in point: I’m absolutely astonished I didn’t get votes at Tribal Council. I know I’m not really a part of that core group over on Yenisei, with Zeke and Charlotte. I mean, Mandy isn’t either, but she was in the army. She’s super tough and she contributes a lot around camp and in the challenges. Between us, I feel like I’m the one Charlotte would want out first. And I say Charlotte because I really, really think she’s the brains of that operation. Zeke is the heart, he’s the one banding the tribe together, but I don’t think he’s got it in him to be cutthroat. Mandy thinks he’s snowing everyone, but… I don’t. I think Zeke’s honestly just a well meaning guy who happens to believe very firmly in a lot of stuff I don’t. But Charlotte… I guess it’s because she’s one of the older people we have on the tribe, and she’s so maternal with her behavior, people forget she’s a multi-title holding pageant queen. My analysis of that information is that means Charlotte knows how to be charming, and it means she knows how to be competitive. I don’t trust for a second that Charlotte would have my back in this game.

The fire lights as darkness begins to bleed through the sky overhead.

“This is my first fire I’ve started,” Olivia beams. “I’m used to bunson burners,” she laughs. “I’d try at camp but Vince usually does it, so… I just haven’t had a chance to try. But I’m proud of myself,” she says. “Getting to test myself like this is cool.

“The biggest downside to Exile? It’s being away from camp, because you have no idea what’s happening while you’re not there, you have no idea what people are talking about. I trust Mandy implicitly. Gunnar I think I can trust just because he knows he needs me if he wants to keep Zeke from gaining control. But Huang? I have no idea, he’s a question mark. He spent most of the first six days joined at the hip with Addy, so I really don’t have a good read on him in the slightest. And these charming personalities, the Zekes and the Charlottes of our tribe? They could very possibly win him over. So I’m just hoping that while I’m out here, I can trust Mandy to get done what needs to get done back there.”

The sound of clanking wood and metal rings through the camp as Vince hammers two pieces of wood together, ropes secured at either end.

“So when you’re in bear country, food has to go up in the trees at night so they don’t come a knockin’ looking for handouts! So on the agenda for today, I’m building a shelf that we can get on a pulley system, that way we can bring the foot up and down real easy. Right now we’re just slinging a bag over the tree and pullin’ it up, I think this will work a little easier, give poor Huang some rest from all the heavy liftin’ we make him do,” he laughs.

As Vince hammers, Mandy watches from over at the fire, sipping her canteen. Out in the meadow, Huang, Zeke and Gunnar play golf.

“Vince has honestly built us such a dope camp that having the chairs, the pillows, the blankets? It would make this place even more five star than it already is. Hats off to the old fart, he knows his way around a toolbox. But uh, losing the challenge means we got none of that, and then on top of it, who gets exiled? Olivia. And like, look, I’m a nurse, obviously I’m not stupid, I know that if she’s on Exile Island, that means she potentially could be the one to end up with the Hidden Immunity Idol. And being that we are so close, I honestly think if I were to end up needing it, she’d play it for me. So I should theoretically be glad that she’s out there, because it helps our game. But in practice it blows, because I just can’t take these people. Vince thinks he’s funny, but–spoiler alert, he’s not.”

“Boys! Hope you brought extra socks in case you get a hole in one!” Vince yells out to the guys as they golf in the field.

“Zeke? I don’t know if he’s for real or not. Like, he just seems too earnest, and all I can think is like, did you watch the first season? Do you realize what kind of game this is? Like, there is no way he’s really as saintly as he tries to come off as being. The constant god talk just makes me want to ask Vince if he’ll build me gallows next so I can hang myself. It’s just driving me insane.”

Zeke whacks his golf ball. It goes sailing through the air, landing cleanly on the ‘green.’

“Are you sure you never golfed before?” Gunnar asks, raising an eyebrow.

“Gunnar is… fine, I guess? I can talk to him about the game, but it’s Day 8 and he still reeks of cologne, somehow. It’s like, how do I take you seriously when you’re just so… like… I mean, look at him! Every time I talk to him I have to try my absolute hardest not to call him ‘Chadwick.’ Like, is he serious? His whole thing has to be a disguise, it’s just too on the nose.”

“Zeke, you may have the Lord on your side,” Gunnar says, taking the club, “but I have Lord and Taylor on mine. As well as a lot more practice than you,” he says, swinging. His ball lands almost right in front of Zeke’s.

“But the end all be all of tear your hair out? Is Charlotte f*cking Fenton. She’s the type of mom who is responsible for every dickhole of a man I served with in the army. Just these obnoxious, conservative bible beaters who would get so up their own asses. She’s every other self-righteous twat I have to deal with on a daily basis. I’m honestly surprised she hasn’t questioned my citizenship yet or accused me of being a Muslim–as if that’s a bad thing to be. It’s just so hard to sit around and bite my tongue around her. It’s honestly the single hardest part of this game. When I was serving overseas in the army? Yeah, that was f*cking hard, I was a medic in a war zone! But I lived on a base, I slept in a bed, we had rations in the Mess, and it was imperative that we trusted each other, implicitly. You don’t get trust in Survivor, and that’s the hardest thing of all to be deprived of.”

Suddenly, Charlotte can be heard in the forest, coming towards camp.

“Vince?” she calls in her Tennessee drawl. “Vincent, I need you!”

“No you don’t,” Vince yells back. “I’m busy, you don’t want me!”

“I absolutely want you!” Charlotte says as she comes back into camp. “I saw rabbits, Vince! You need to build a trap and you need to build it quick! Can you do it?”

“Can I build a rabbit trap?” Vince asks. “Can Michael Jordan slam dunk? Come on, Charlotte, don’t insult me with stupid questions, of course I can build a rabbit trap!” he says, getting up from where he’s working on the pulley system. “Give me just one second love, I gotta get all my sh*t together.”

“I am sorry to pull you away from what you were working on, Vince,” Charlotte apologizes,” but I want to make sure we get there before it’s gone, or else we might not be able to find it again. Oh, if only we had a rifle, I could have shot it myself,” she says.

“Of course you wish we had a gun,” Mandy mutters. Charlotte turns to Mandy, suddenly looking much less excited than she was moments ago.

“I’m sorry, Mandy, did you just say something to me?” Charlotte asks pointedly. “I didn’t hear you, so… if you would like to repeat yourself…” she rolls her hands as if to say ‘go on.’

Mandy turns on her seat to face Charlotte fully. “What I said is that of course you wish we had a gun. I bet you’ve just felt so violated having to be without one.”

Charlotte recoils somewhat, clearly both surprised and offended. “What does that mean?”

“It means that you’re playing to type, Charlotte, you’re whole ‘I’m a Christian, except when it comes to actually being a good person’ shtick. “You care more about guns than you care about the people who get shot with them.”

“You need to shut the f*ck up,” Vince yells, pointing directly at Mandy. His booming voice causes the guys out golfing to all turn their attention back to camp. Sensing something wrong, Zeke heads back, Gunnar and Huang in tow.

“Do you know what the f*ck it’s like in a war zone, Vince? No, you f*cking don’t, so you can shut the f*ck up, actually,” Mandy spits. “You ever actually been f*cking fired at? No, didn’t think so. Guns aren’t toys, I know that first-f*cking-hand!”

“When did I say anything about thinking guns are toys?” Charlotte asks, incredulous. “I respect the second amendment and I respect that firearms can be dangerous. Please, do not put words in my mouth!”

“You’re just mad because I’m right!” Mandy yells.

“Hey, hey, HEY!” Zeke yells as he comes into the camp. “What is the yelling about, y’all?”

“This one here has gone mental, that’s what the yelling is about!” Vince says, pointing wildly at Mandy.

“I just don’t appreciate flippant comments being made about guns, okay?” Mandy says, holding her hands up defensively.

“Can we sit down and talk about this, like adults?” Zeke asks, clearly already frustrated.

“No,” Mandy says, “I’m sorry, I can’t be here right now, I need… I need to go,” she says, walking off into the forest.

“What the f*ck happened here?” whispers Gunnar to Huang.

“Char, you okay?” asks Zeke, who can only look befuddled.

“I… I don’t even know what set her off,” Charlotte says, stunned.

“Charlotte and Vince told us everything that happened with Mandy, and it’s just making my stomach drop. For whatever it’s worth, I agree with Mandy’s politics around guns, but this is Survivor. Politics shouldn’t even be getting brought up, with how passionate people can get. It’s stupid gameplay, and I think Mandy is having a hard time keeping her feelings in the longer the game goes. And I mean… she’s the veteran here. I have no idea what it feels like to actually be shot at, or what that conversation triggered for her. I want to give her the benefit of the doubt, but at the same time, I want to just duct tape her mouth shut! We need to be winning allies right now, and you don’t do that by starting arguments around hot button political issues, that’ just common sense. Huang already told me he’s unsure about working with Mandy and Olivia, and I’m petrified that Mandy’s outbursts these last few days could be scaring him off.”

Charlotte takes a seat in the shelter, where she begins to cry.

“Oh no!” Huang says, sitting next to her, putting a comforting arm around her as he hugs her. “Charlotte, please don’t cry.”

“I’m so overwhelmed,” Charlotte sobs. “I’m just trying to be myself! Why isn’t that good enough for her?”

“Sometimes, we just ain’t meant to be friends with some folk,” Zeke says. “It’s nobody’s fault, just how it is.”

“Even still, Charlotte says, wiping her eyes, “I just… have I been that horrible to her, and haven’t realized? Have I done something to deserve this? Zeke, am I not a good person?”

“You are exactly who God created you to be,” Zeke whispers, hugging her tightly. Charlotte can only bawl into his shoulder. Vince looks absolutely furious. Gunnar hangs his head.

“Mandy has been through some stuff that the rest of us can’t even begin to imagine,” Zeke says. “And I’m sure that’s left some scars for her that she hasn’t figured out how to cope wit quite yet. Her anger right now is the demons she is wrestling with inside of herself. Don’t take it personally.”

“My life has changed a lot over the years. I love my children, don’t get me wrong–being a mother is a blessing and an honor, and I thank God for that privilege every single day. But before then, I was someone else. I was so dedicated to pageants in my youth. I was a champion. I won the state title for Tennessee, I got to compete for the national title… it was exhilarating, even though I didn’t win. But it was my last pageant. I met Dale the year after and suddenly it was goodbye gowns, hello maternity wear. His job had us moving around a lot at first, so there was always something new to be done around the house, or with the kids… competing, it fell by the wayside. It had to. And some days I wake up and I look at him and my children and I think God has blessed me so greatly with this beautiful family. But there are other days… gosh, it’s hard to say this out loud… there are other days where I think of how if I had stuck with it, I could have been Miss Universe. And deep down, I often wonder, you know… is this person I am the person God created me to be? Have I strayed from my own path? I gave up one dream for another, and… regret isn’t the right word. But sometimes I feel like there’s a part of myself I let die. And that’s what makes Mandy’s words hurt so badly, is that whether or not she sees it, she’s cutting to my core when she calls me fake. Because…” she starts crying, “she’s not completely wrong.”

“Cry it out, Charlotte,” Huang says.

“You are only as good or as bad, Charlotte, as you choose to be, okay?” Zeke tells her. “God gave you free will. If you’re confident in how you conduct yourself? Who cares what Mandy thinks?”

“I know,” Charlotte says, dabbing her eyes with her buff. “I know.”

“This game, Survivor, this whole experience, it’s really testing all of us. Uncle Vinnie built us a beautiful shelter, Charlotte does her best work in the kitchen every day, we’re doing the best we can with what we got, but it don’t change the fact that what we got ain’t a lot. We ain’t eating, we aint’ sleeping, we ain’t bathing, changing clothes, we have to boil our water over a campfire before we can even have a glass of water! And you are away from everyone you love and trust. So I get it, because I’m going through it too. Survivor is testing us. And when you’re so deprivated, the little things each day? They so much bigger. Business you can ignore in your day to day, out here it really gets under your skin. So I understand that Mandy is hurting right now, but… I don’t know, man. That’s just not how you speak to other people.”

Down at the water, Mandy sits alone, crying.

“I know it probably isn’t the smartest thing for my game, to lash out at Charlotte like that, but…” she begins to sob harder. “I’m just so homesick. I miss my husband and my baby girl so badly. The hunger, the cold, the lack of sleep, all that sh*t? I can handle that, I’m tough enough for that. But you know, when I was deployed, it was different because I was single, I just wanted any opportunity to see the world and just get away from my parents and their traditions and their expectations. I didn’t have a husband who loves me and who gets me and an amazing child that I’m missing moments with. Not having that support system, that’s been the most brutal part of Survivor, bar none. If I could have just five minutes with him to feel his arms around me, and to just… I don’t know,” she laughs. “I’m so sorry for crying, wasn’t I just saying I was tough?” she says, wiping her eyes with her buff. “It’s hard to keep your mouth shut in these circumstances. That’s basically the point I wanted to make.”

“F*ck off, Gunnar,” Mandy says. “I’m having a diva moment and it’s invite only, and you aren’t invited, so, you know.” She waves her hand at him dismissively.

“Fine, alright, whatever,” Gunnar says, rubbing the corners of his eyes with his thumb and forefinger. “Just… make sure you apologize to Charlotte, okay? Because look, I get it, this game is hard. But it’s still a game, and we need Huang, and right now he’s up there canoodling Charlotte in his roided out arms. You have to smooth this sh*t over.”

“Yeah, fine, okay,” Mandy says. “Can you go now?”

“Sorry,” Gunnar says, turning to leave. “Feel better, okay?”

“F*ck off!” Mandy yells.

“Yikes, bye,” Gunnar says, scampering into the woods. He trips on a tree root and falls flat on his face as he’s almost out of distance, landing with a comedic thud. Mandy doesn’t hear.

“I’m sorry to be insensitive, but I left my feelings at home, they’re in my desk drawer between the calculator and the extra staples. Huang has straight up told me he doesn’t want to work with Mandy, and this clearly didn’t help! Either she fixes this, or I have to figure out some other way to get myself into the driver’s seat of this game. I’m not going to follow Zeke to the end and risk him snatching the victory out of my fingers.”

Sheena and Hannah lie together in the shelter, while Nick and Naomi both lay in the hammock nearby.

“We won the reward challenge, which is like, so good, because this one was for pillows, blankets, just everything we need for a good night’s sleep, which is so important! It’s cold at night, and it’s only going to get colder the longer we’re all here, so anything that helps keep us warm is just super important. I think it’s a reward that just really brought us even closer together as a tribe, which is really good actually. Things were so crazy when we went to Tribal Council, nobody really knew what was happening, we were just like, all over the place! It’s nice that since then we’re just kind of, like, you know, really coming together. This is a game, and games are supposed to be fun, right?”

“I think the emojis I use the most…” Sheena ponders. “Hmm. The dancing lady, for some reason?

“Lol, I know right?” Hannah says. “So fierce. And the nail painting. And the girl who goes like this.” Hannah holds her right hand at an angle next to her head as if she’s carrying a serving tray.

“I like the eggplant,” Naomi laughs. Hannah’s jaw drops.

“Naughty naughty!” Sheena laughs.

“I don’t get it,” Nick says. “Why would you send any of these to someone?”

“Think of it as symbolic language,” Naomi says. “They are images, used to convey a concept beyond what they appear to be on the surface. They convey an emotion often more than a straightforwad idea. It’s a figure of speech, but as a pictograph.”

“Well, when you put it that way, it sounds less stupid,” Nick says, grinning.

“You’re such a hipster, Nick,” Sheena groans.

“Foul. Ferme la bouche, Sheena. I take umbrage at that term,” Nick says.

“You take umbrage at everything,” Sheena responds. “Because you’re such a hipster.”

“I don’t trust Nick. He’s always acting like he’s never heard of stuff, and I think it’s because he thinks it makes him look… I don’t know if it’s because he wants to come off as like, smart or like he thinks so much better than everyone else, I don’t totally understand his intention. But even if you don’t spend a lot of time online, like, you live on planet earth, right? You talk to other human beings? The other day he said he never heard of Beyonce. Beyonce. As in Knowles. Come on, man! Do you think anyone believes that a twenty-something living in New York City can actually somehow not have ever heard of Beyonce, even once? For as much as he likes to pull his whole ‘oh, I’m an artist, pop culture is beneath me’ shtick, I’m like, dude, you are hella arrogant. Ain’t nothing wrong with watching TV. But you know, I mean… it’s working for him, because the ladies seem to love him. He’s got that bad boy swag.”

“I think Nick is just… a very passionate man,” Naomi says, her voice like silk. “When he feels a certain way, he feels that way very strongly.”

“Thank you, Naomi,” Nick says, seeming validated. “It’s just… the idea of a hipster is that you do things just because they aren’t popular to do, for the sake of going against the grain. And I don’t think that’s me. I just don’t really like to waste time and effort and energy on things that I don’t care about.”

“You can’t just leave everything you don’t feel like doing to other people,” Sheena says, “because there’s stuff nobody wants to do. Like nobody wants to be a garbage collector.”

“That’s different,” Nick says, waving his hand dismissively as he lounges in the hammock. “That’s like, a job. If you’re getting paid, at least there’s a reason to be there. It’s like this, none of us would be out here in the middle of nowhere, with no food and no shelter, if there wasn’t a prize.”

“I dunno,” Sheena says with a shrug. “I mean, I think Maurice would want to do this even if there wasn’t any money. I might, honestly.”

“Really?” Nick asks, surprised.

“It’s such an intense game, and I’m really competitive, what can I say?” she responds. “It’s kind of like… I want to prove to myself I can do it.”

“It’s like the more above it all he acts, the more people want to try and impress him. Hannah tries so hard to get him to like her, you can see the wheels turning in her head when she talks to him. Like she’s thinking about how she can get him to pose with her on her Instagram when this is all said and done. He’s like the quarterback right now, and Sheena’s his head cheerleader. Those two are the popular kids, they’re the ones everyone else is trying to get in with so they can get an invite to the party at the rich kid’s house. And I was never the popular kid, that’s just not who I am, y’all. I’m a big old nerd, come on now! Nick is dangerous, and I honestly would rather vote him out than try and get in his good graces.”

“You know, everyone,” Tallulah says, approaching the shelter, “I know we’re all very cozy right now in our new blankets, but Maurice has been hauling firewood all day, and that’s not fair to him.”

Nick sighs. “Yeah, no. I know, TM. I’ll head out in a second. Sheena?”

“Well I want to do this. Because I love to make the people I care about happy, and I care about my tribe,” Nick says, stretching as he stands. He gives Tallulah a hug and kisses her on top of the head. “You know I couldn’t let you down, TM,” he smiles.

“I have to be cautious, though. Everett got himself voted out because he started scheming too hard, too fast. And Nick has his fingers in so many pies, I don’t want to go around bringing his name up because I think it would probably get back to him and blow up in my face. So as much as I hate it, the best move right now is to just try and stay in Nick and Sheena’s good graces. Getting in with them seems like the surest way to keep myself safe, and I’ll do whatever I have to for that.”

Nick and Sheena talk together as they collect wood in the forest.

“I wanted to come do this anyway, even before we got asked,” Nick says, “because we haven’t had a chance to check in today, just us.”

“A-greed,” Sheena says. “Anything in particular on your mind?”

“Uh, well, yeah, actually,” Nick says. “So, I don’t know how you’d feel about this, but, uh… what would you think about bringing Naomi into the fold?”

“Pass,” Sheena says, immediately.

“What? You didn’t even think about it,” Nick says.

“I don’t need to think about it, what’s the point? There are seven people, we have four. We don’t need her.”

“Not right now, maybe,” Nick says, “but Sheena, you’re thinking ahead, right? Like, I can’t believe you wouldn’t be. What happens at the merge, do you think four is enough then?”

“It will be if we keep winning challenges,” Sheena says. “As long as Koryok has the numbers going into the merge, we’re good, Nick. We pick off the Yeniseis and then get rid of whoever we have left from our side until four.”

“That’s assuming that everyone on Koryok stays together,” Nick says. “What if someone decides to flip, because they realize they’re on the bottom?”

“No, no. I know what you’re saying, I just don’t think Naomi needs to be in the alliance for her to feel like she’s a part of the tribe. Quite frankly, I don’t trust her with that much information,” Sheena says.

“Naomi is a hard one for me to trust. She was totally on board with Everett at the beginning–he was the Joker and she was his Harley Quinn. And that sticks with you, right? I know she and Nick are close, which is, you know… whatever that is, it’s not my business if he wants to be friends with someone, whatever. But we have an alliance, it’s four people, Naomi isn’t one of them. And if she finds out about it, I don’t know that she’ll say ‘oh, yeah, I’m on board with this.’ I think she’d run with that and turn if given the opportunity. And I think Nick is a little booty blinded, if I’m being real.”

“Listen, though,” Nick says. “If you’re so worried about her not being trustworthy, then shes going to try and turn on us at some point anyway. Why not give her some incentive to stick with us? Having an extra number in our corner can’t hurt us.”

“I know you’re not crazy about her, and yeah, she can be annoying, but she’s harmless, Nick. She’s like a gnat. She’s annoying, but what’s she going to really do to you? Nothing. And she’ll be loyal, you know she will.”

“Yeah, but Naomi will be loyal and is actually pleasant to be around,” Nick says.

“I don’t not like her,” Sheena says, “I just don’t want her in our alliance.”

“Well, what if it’s not our alliance?” Nick says. “We could keep her on the side, you know. Just for us.” Sheena raises a very skeptical eyebrow.

“Elaborate,” Sheena demands.

“I mean that we approach her, tell her that it’s the three of us,” Nick says, “as in her, me, you. We don’t let her know about Maurice and Tallulah. And we don’t let Maurice and Tallulah know about her.”

“So,” Sheena says, “the point of the alliance is that we can be honest with each other, Nick, and work together, not start splintering when we don’t even have to vote.”

“I don’t want to create a precedent of giving my allies reason not to trust me. I get that this is a game, so you sometimes have to go back on your word, and I’m prepared to do that. But it’s just not necessary to start double-dealing right now. If I have to make a new deal for myself at some point because it’s what I need to do to succeed, I’ll do it, but I’ll cross that bridge when I come to it. But right now? Koryok is feeling really unified, and the more unified we are, the better it is for me. I’m in a really good position right now, there’s no reason do jeopardize that by doing something sketchy for no reason.”

“Okay. Well… can you just think about it, Sheena?” Nick asks. “If we lose immunity, can you at least consider this might be a good idea?”

“Wow, rude,” Nick says. “And here I am, trying to be open with my emotions,” he says sarcastically.

“You need to have emotions to be open with them, you sociopath,” Sheena jibes. They both laugh as they continue collecting wood.

Later, Nick and Naomi walk together at the riverbank.

“So here’s the deal,” Nick tells her. “I’m working Sheena as best I can, but she’s resistant. She’s still hung up on Everett.”

“Oh my god,” Naomi groans. “Forget Everett! We’ve been together longer without him than we were with him at this point. It’s not like Sheena’s ever approached me about working together. I’m playing the game, she can’t get mad at that!”

“She’s a threat to my sanity,” Nick grumbles. “The point is, Nay, you need to convince Sheena that you’re not a threat, that you’re down to work with her. She has to feel like she can trust you to be loyal to her, so like… find some way to bond with her.”

“I thought we were bonding,” Naomi says with a frown.

“Do you have, like, any secrets you could tell her?” Nick ponders.

“Not that I can think of,” Naomi says.

“Well, you could make one up. She doesn’t have to know, as long as she thinks you’re sharing something important with her,” Nick says. “Tell her Maurice showed you the idol.”

“What?” Naomi laughs. “Nick, if he doesn’t, and she finds out? She’ll certainly not trust me!”

“Just trying to come up with ideas,” Nick says. “I want you to stick around, Naomi. I think we can really do some damage together.”

“Nick and I connected very quickly at the beginning. He and Sheena, they have similar types of humor, the same sort of big energy, but she’s not an imaginer. She isn’t creative. I understand Nick on that level, and it’s something beyond just the surface. Ever since the disastrous first Tribal Council, I’ve been in hot water, so Nick is my lifeline. He’s my best shot at re-integrating with this group.”

“If you could right now, put together an alliance,” Naomi begins, the two now sitting on the large rocks overlooking the water, “with anyone in the game. Anyone. Who would you put in it?”

“Well,” Naomi says, “that makes sense. The with the exception of myself, that’s everyone who voted for Everett, correct?”

“Correct,” Nick says, staring straight ahead.

“That wasn’t by happenstance, was it?” Naomi says, smiling.

“Nope,” Nick says. “Okay, not that it was a thing right then. But Naomi, I’ve wanted to work with you from the start, I promise,” Nick says. “But the plan changed to Everett so, so, so last minute. And then the other three started talking about the alliance without me, I was only asked later. I didn’t get any chance to argue that you should be included.”

“It’s okay, it’s fine,” Naomi assures. “I understand. That should tell you something, doesn’t it? That they formed the alliance without you? That Sheena put you in the alliance without your consent?”

“You think I don’t know that?” Nick says. “That’s why I know I have to make sure you stay here, Nay. Sheena is the most competitive person I’ve ever met. She hates to lose, and I think she’d be willing to betray me if she needed to.”

“Nick told me about the alliance he is in with Sheena, Tallulah and Maurice, and I certainly had my suspicions, but it’s very nice to have things confirmed. Nick wants to take me in with them, and he says I need to get closer to Sheena, because she doesn’t trust me. That I need to do something to earn her trust. Perhaps telling her that her closest ally spilled the beans could do that. I like Nick… but I would write his name down, no problem. Just as I would have written Everett’s name down if they had told me the plan. I’m here for myself. I have a boyfriend back at home, we’re very happy. I don’t need Nick. So what if he is upset with me? That’s life,” she smiles.

Yenisei and Koryok come into the arena. Down in a vast area, two enormous flanks of meat dangle from giant hooks.

“What in the fresh hell,” wonders Nick aloud as they take their places.

“We’ll now welcome back Olivia, now returning from Exile Island,” announces Jeff. Olivia comes in, looking a little tired, but no worse for wear.

“Welcome back,” Mandy says, greeting her with a hug. Olivia takes her place with the tribe.

“Are you guys ready to get to today’s immunity challenge?” Jeff asks. Everyone agrees, and he continues. “First things first, Koryok–I need to take back the Immunity Idol.”

Naomi hands it over, and Jeff places the idol back on it’s stand.

“Immunity back up for grabs,” Jeff announces. “For today’s challenge, each tribe will have a nice, thick cut of one of Siberia’s most popular meats–reindeer. On my go, you will remove as much meat from that piece as possible and bring it to the basket for your tribe. The catch is that your hands will be tied behind your back, and you will rip that meat off using nothing but your mouth.”

“Oh, well of course,” laughs Sheena. Nick bares his teeth and starts chomping up and down.

“We’ll go for ten minutes,” Jeff says. “I’ll then weigh your baskets. The tribe who collects the most meat in ten minutes wins immunity, is safe from the vote, and has three more days in the game. For the losing tribe, all I’ve got is a trip to Tribal Council, where someone will become the third person voted out of this game. Big enough stakes?”

Everyone agrees, and Jeff smiles, eager to get on this disgusting festival of carnage.

“All right then. I’ll give you guys a moment to strategize, we’ll get everyone tied up, then we’ll go ahead and started.”

The castways stand at the starting line, where a table with an empty basket waits them. Everyone’s hands are, as Jeff promised, tied behind their back.

“SURVIVORS READY? GO!”

The game is on, and the players are off, rushing over to the dangling shanks like ravenous scavengers. Maurice is the first to reach the carcass, and he plows himself face first, teeth bared. He hasn’t anticipated the way the meat will swing on the hook, and struggles to get his first bite. More and more castaways on both sides begin to arrive, figuring out the method of taking their first bite.

As the tallest, Maurice braces the shank against his body for Koryok. He grips into the upper portion of the meat with his teeth. From the center, Tallulah and Nick bite and pull. Naomi goes to the other side of Maurice, and bites down as well.

On Yenisei, Charlotte braces the side of the meat with her face, while the others try to get bites in. Vince growls like a bulldog as he tugs and pulls, trying to get as huge of a chunk as he can.

With mouthfuls of meat, the castaways begin to return to the basket to deposit their quarry.

Vince spits a large piece into the bin for Yenisei. Charlotte and Olivia run up next to him, spitting up their own mouthfuls as well.

“Go opposite sides at the same time,” Mandy says to Olivia. They do just that, helping to stabilize the swinging meat. Zeke bares down on the bottom of the meat, trying to pull off a large chunk. Huang starts chewing next to him, as they work together to dislodge an enormous piece. Huang takes it in his mouth, and heads back over, dropping it into the basket.

“Nay,” Maurice says, “help me again up top. Nick, Sheena, get it from the bottom.”

Naomi nods, as she and Maurice position themselves on either side of the meat, Naomi catching the shank bone between her neck and her shoulder, trying to hold it still. Both bite down, while Nick and Sheena head towards the bottom. They pull in opposite directions, each dislodging a fairly substantial chunk for themselves. As they go to spit them out, Sheena finds hers dangling from her mouth, the gristle of the meat caught in her teeth.

“Ugh, phbt!” she spits, swinging her head, but the piece isn’t budging.

“Here,” Nick says, coming in close. He grabs the meat out of Sheena’s mouth with his own.

Nick and Sheena are not the only ones who have to help one another with meat getting stuck in teeth. It quickly becomes the go-to strategy of the challenge as many castaways find themselves stuck.

“A little help?” Teddy asks Hannah, who obliges, clearly not pleased about doing so. She has made the mistake of wearing makeup to this challenge.

On Yenisei, Charlotte picks small bits out of Zeke’s teeth.

“It almost looks like Zeke is feeding Charlotte like a baby bird!” Jeff notes. “That’s what you call teamwork.”

Mouthful after mouthful of chewed meat spray out of hungry mouths into their respective buckets. Usually a fair amount of spit accompany.

Gunnar and Olivia work on chewing a large portion off for Yenisei. They are able to get it, and Olivia takes off, but the massive piece slips out of her teeth and drops on the ground. She swears as she gets down on her knees and grabs the meat again.

“Olivia dropped it but she’s picking it up!” Jeff observes. “Nothing is too disgusting when immunity is on the line.”

Koryok seems to have found as much of a strategy as they can, with Naomi and Maurice going back and forth, working to keep the meat still while the other castaways work together to pull from the bottom. Tallulah and Sheena both get good sized bites, heading off as Nick and Hannah come back from dropping off their last pieces of meat.

Over on Yenisei, Vince experiences a setback when he drops his piece.

“I don’t know if I can get that!” Vince exclaims. “I don’t think I can get up with my back like it is!”

“On it,” Zeke says as he comes buy. He drops down to pick up Vince’s dropped meat.

“We are down to the last minute!” Jeff announces. “So get those last pieces in!”

The pace is picked up for both tribes. Tallulah spits another wad into the Koryok bucket. Mandy finds some stuck in her teeth, so Huang pulls it out.

“One more big one!” Naomi says as she and Maurice both once again bite into the top while Nick and Teddy pull from the bottom. This time, not only do Nick and Teddy tear off another massive piece, but Naomi and Maurice get one together as well.

“Those are some big last minute additions for Koryok!” Jeff exclaims as Maurice and Nick spit their pieces into the basket. Nick’s swings from his teeth, so Maurice comes in to remove it. “The question,” Jeff continues, “is will it be enough to beat Yenisei?”

With a might tug, Zeke gets a decent sized bit off for Yenisei. Just as he spits it into the bucket, Jeff calls the challenge.

“TIME!” Jeff says, calling the game. “Whatever is in your mouth right now, you can keep. Go spit out whatever you’ve got left and then we’ll get these baskets weighed.”

With the challenge over, the castaways now stand, exhausted, eager to hear the results, sauces smeared across their faces and bodies. Jeff stands next to a scale.

“Moment of truth,” sighs Gunnar.

“Yenisei, we’ll weigh you first,” Jeff says, taking their basket and placing it on the scale. The scale sinks down and the needle dances along the edge. Jeff narrows his gaze as he reads the measurement.

“Yenisei with 20 pounds, 8 ounces.”

“Damn,” Huang says, the whole tribe clapping.

“Good job guys!” beams Charlotte.

“Koryok, you’re up,” Jeff says, taking their basket. “20 pounds, 8 ounces is the weight you have to beat. Is it enough?” he places it on the scale. Hannah crosses her fingers. Tallulah and Sheena squeeze each other’s hands in anticipation as the needle hits the number.

“Koryok,” Jeff announces, “you collected…

…22 pounds and one ounce!”

“KORYOK! WINS IMMUNITY!”

“YEEEEEEEEEAAAAAAAAAH!!!!!” Nick roars, pumping his fist in the air. Sheena jumps up and down, elated. Maurice grabs Hannah in an elated hug, swinging her in a circle while she giggles. Over on Yenisei, no one looks enthused. Charlotte crosses her arms and sucks her teeth. Huang glares angrily at the celebrating Koryoks.

“It was a disgusting job, but someone had to do it,” Jeff says, “and that means Koryok, immunity is yours.” Maurice comes forward to take the idol, the world’s biggest smile on his face. “That means you guys have the night off, you’re all safe for another three days,” Jeff continues. “You can gather your stuff and head back to camp. Enjoy the night off.”

The Koryoks continue to cheer as they parade out of the arena. Vince makes a “blah blah blah” motion with his hand.

“Yenisei, sorry to once again be the bearer of bad news,” Jeff says, “but I’ll be seeing you at Tribal Council tonight. One of you is going to become the third person voted out of this game. You have the rest of the day to figure out who that person is going to be. Grab your stuff, head back to camp. I’ll see you tonight.”

Dejected, Yenisei heads off, back to their campground.

The dejected Yenisei Tribe wanders back into camp. Huang can barely muster the effort to place the flag properly.

“We lost another challenge. Three in a row. And uh, it sucks,” he laughs. “How else do you describe it? It sucks. Literally nobody likes to lose, and to lose Immunity is worse than reward, because losing a member of the Tribe? That’s so much worse than losing out on snacks or laundry or whatever. I’d trade every one of those goats to have Addy still be here, you know? And I don’t want to have to vote someone out tonight, especially because I think it’s probably going to be Charlotte, and I don’t want to vote her out. I like Charlotte! She’s the mom of the tribe, she takes care of everyone, she puts everyone before herself. Like, come on. Who would vote out their mom? It just sucks.”

“Okay, well, I feel disgusting,” Mandy says, “So I am going to down to the water to wash my face.”

“I’ll join you,” Olivia says, putting her bag down. It takes little time before the two of them are out of camp. Once they are gone, Zeke signals to the others to gather around.

“You know thems two is going off to talk about whatever she found on Exile Island,” Vince says.

“I think she could have found the idol,” Charlotte says. “She’s a smart woman, it’s not an impossibility.

“I think we need to vote tonight under the assumption that she has it,” Gunnar says.

“I agree,” Zeke says.

“So are we voting for Mandy then?” Huang asks.

“No, no,” Charlotte says, shaking her head. “Mandy and I… don’t see eye to eye, so it’s not that I wouldn’t want to, but I think we have to be smart, not emotional. Our top priority has to be getting rid of the idol. I think we should split the votes. ”

Zeke nods. “That’s what I was thinking. I don’t like doing it, but… it’s a game, right?”

“Right,” Huang sighs.

“Mandy was very emotional towards me the other day, and she’s made it abundantly clear she is disinterested in getting to know me as a person or forging a relationship with me as a player. Olivia is a little unusual, but mostly she’s quiet. In an ideal scenario, Mandy would be gone tonight. But Olivia was Exiled, and that throws a wrench into the plans, because now it is very possible she holds a hidden immunity idol. That, you know, makes us feel like Olivia is the bigger threat. So it’s imperative to get rid of her before she thinks to play the idol.”

“Huang and I will do whatever we can to convince her that it’s you tonight, Charlotte,” Gunnar says. “I’m just putting that out there now, so it doesn’t come back around and sound sketchy. I’m not actually coming after you, but Olivia can’t think it’s her if we want that idol out of the game.”

“I’m totally going to vote for Charlotte tonight! But she doesn’t need to know it’s coming. Someone who knows they’re in the line of fire has time and incentive to scramble, and I don’t need Charlotte mucking my plans up because she knows she’s in danger. So my plan is to convince Zeke and them all that Huang and I are with them, that we’re splitting the votes between Olivia and Mandy, but then we’ll vote Charlotte out instead! It strikes a blow to Zeke by taking out one of his people. Between Charlotte and Uncle Vinnie, I think Charlotte is the savvier player, and I think Vinnie contributes more around camp. Plus, Mandy hates her, and she’s going to be so much more pleasant to be around with Charlotte gone,” he chuckles.

“I think the easiest way to break it up,” Gunnar says, “is age. So we all know who we’re voting for. Thirty and over, vote Olivia. Over, Olivia. Under Thirty, vote for Mandy as a contingency.”

“So that’s you, me, and Vince for Olivia…” Charlotte confirms.

“Me and Donkey Huang for Mandy,” Zeke finishes.

“Exactly,” Gunnar says.

“I ain’t got no problem with that,” Vince says.

“The plan is to split the votes between Mandy and Olivia in case Olivia does decide to play the idol. Gunnar, Vince and myself will vote for her, while Zeke and Huang will vote for Mandy. If Olivia plays the idol, the three votes against her will be canceled, and that will leave a tie between Mandy and whoever she and Olivia vote against–which is most likely going to be me. Then, on the revote, Mandy will be voted out. And if Olivia doesn’t play the idol, well, then she just leaves. Ideally, I would like to see her play it and have Mandy go home. That would get the idol and Mandy out of the game, and that benefits me greatly. But it’s nerve wracking, since my name will likely be written down tonight. If something, heavens forbid, goes wrong? I could end up leaving.”

“Alright,” Gunnar says. “I need to go catch the girls and make sure they don’t suspect anything. You coming, Huang?”

Huang lets out a sigh. “Yeah, I guess.”

Mandy scrubs her face down at the water while Olivia talks to her.

“So the idol is here?” Mandy asks, shocked.

“Yeah,” Olivia says. “Crazy, right?”

“You’re telling me,” Mandy says. “Well, do you know where it is?”

“I have some guesses,” Olivia says, “but the clue is a hard one. It’s not exactly spelled out in one-two-three steps.”

“Well that sucks,” Mandy says.

“Yeah,” Olivia agrees. “I just… you trust the guys, right?”

“Totally,” Mandy says. “I think we’ve got a solid plan here. Like, Huang would have to be an idiot to hand Zeke control of the game. He may be a meathead, but I don’t think he’s like… dumb, you know?”

“I’m hoping,” sighs Olivia. “Because honestly, I think the idol is somewhere back at like, camp proper. Like it’s somewhere right under our noses, and I don’t know if we’re going to be able to find it without causing suspicion.”

“Addy got voted out basically by unanimous consensus, so Zeke and his people have no idea yet that Gunnar has really been with me and Olivia the whole time. And strategically, it makes more sense for Huang to come with the three of us than to stick with Zeke, because he’s on the bottom there. Gunnar and Huang have to keep up appearances for the sake of things, I get it. They’ll go up there and agree that they’re all voting out me or Olivia, but tonight it’s going to be four votes against Charlotte, and I’m so ready.”

As Olivia and Mandy continue to wash, Gunnar and Huang come down to meet them.

“Sup ladies?” Huang asks.

“You’d know better than we would,” Mandy says.

“They want to split votes,” Gunnar says, “between you two. In case Olivia found the idol.”

“Well, I didn’t,” laughs Olivia. “Belive me, I wish I did.”

“It doesn’t matter though,” Gunnar continues, “Four is more than three. If we stick together, it’s all good.”

“Right,” Mandy nods. “Everyone is good with Charlotte?”

“I think it’s our best move,” Gunnar says. “Huang?”

“Yeah,” Huang says, shrugging. “I mean… what other choices are out there, really?”

“We’re down at the water, going over the plan, and I just don’t feel great about it. Olivia says she doesn’t have the idol, but that doesn’t mean anything–if you had it, you wouldn’t go around telling people about it. And even if she doesn’t have it, I still trust Charlotte more than her. I know Gunnar wants to shake things up, but I’ve already lost someone I really trusted at the last Tribal Council, and trust is what matter more than anything else in this game. I’ve been thinking over the options and I want to get Olivia out, so now I have to tell Gunnar, and I know he’s going to be pissed.”

Gunnar and Huang walk back up to camp through the woods.

“Okay, so… listen, bro,” Huang says. “We need to talk.”

“Okay,” says Gunnar, measured, but hesitant. “What’s up?”

“I’ve been thinking non-stop about this vote, and… I just don’t trust those girls, man, not more than Charlotte. Mandy’s a loose cannon. And I really, really don’t like the possibility of Olivia running around with an idol in her pocket.”

“But what happens after that?” Gunnar asks. “Charlotte isn’t going be loyal to us over Zeke, neither will Uncle Vinnie. We’re putting ourselves at the bottom of the alliance if we do that,” Gunnar says.

“Huang is making me furious right now. He’s being completely emotional and it’s a stupid move on his part, and as far as I’m concerned if he’s going to insist on that being his gameplay, maybe he isn’t the partner for me. But I’m running the numbers in my head, and the thing is… I don’t need his vote tonight. Zeke and his people, they think the plan is to split the votes between Mandy and Olivia. I’m supposed to be voting for Olivia with Charlotte and Uncle Vinnie, while Huang and Zeke vote for Mandy. But if I vote for Charlotte with Olivia and Mandy, Charlotte will go home, 3-2-2. So at this point, I think it will be easier to just tell Huang what he wants to hear.”

“Alright man,” Gunnar relents. “Look, I trust you, and I’ve promised you that you are my number one in this game. If you really feel this strongly about this, you have my support.”

“You’re sure?” Huang asks.

“Positive,” says Gunnar. “Let’s get that idol out of here.”

The sun is starting to get lower in the sky as Tribal Council approaches.

Gunnar approaches Mandy at the corner of camp.

“We need to talk, now,” he whispers. The two of them disappear off to a far corner of the camp.

“Well that’s a little hard to promise without knowing what it is that you’re going to say,” Mandy says, “but why not?”

“Okay,” Gunnar says, wringing his hands. “The deal is that Huang doesn’t want to be a part of the vote with us. He wants me and him to stick with the others and do the split vote plan.”

“What?” Mandy hisses. “What, why?”

“He says he doesn’t trust you. He called you a loose cannon. Did you apologize to Charlotte yet?”

“No,” Mandy says, “what would that have to do with anything, though? I thought she was going home.”

“You were supposed to do it because it would have made Huang feel better to see that you apologized,” Gunnar says. “But it’s whatever, don’t worry about it.”

“Don’t worry about it?” Mandy says. “That’s easy for you to say, your name isn’t getting written down tonight.”

“Which is why I’m asking you not to panic,” Gunnar says. “I have a plan. As long as you, me and Olivia still vote together, we’ll have three votes, that’s all we need. The others are splitting their votes, so it will be two-two-three and we still send Charlotte home.”

“I felt like things were settled, but now apparently Huang is turning on us because… well, you know what? I actually don’t f*cking know why. Gunnar couldn’t convince him, I guess. I just don’t see how he wants to make such an illogical choice. Gunnar is saying that as long as we stick to our plan, we don’t need Huang as long as the others split their votes, but that’s a big risk, if one thing changes it all could fall completely apart. That means at Tribal tonight, I’m going to have to really try and win Huang over. I don’t want everything to come down to a single vote.”

With night falling fast, the castaways collect their belongings and begin to start trekking out of camp.

“Am I confident in how the vote will go tonight? Not totally. I was confident Addy and I would stick together until the end of this game, but she got voted out. I’m not confident in anything now. Nothing is set in stone until you actually write your vote down, so… if something comes up at Tribal Council, things will change. When you’re driving a car through stunts, it’s super important that you’re able to react on a dime. I have a lot of practice with switching gear at the last second, so… I don’t know. I’ve gotta be ready to do what I have to do to win, and I might think I know what that is now, but have a different opinion when I get there. I guess the only thing I can do is wait and see.”

The Yenisei Tribe seems none too happy as they file into Tribal Council and take their seats. Jeff clearly picks up on the dour vibes.

“Welcome back to Tribal Council, Yenisei,” he greets. “Obviously not where you want to be, especially back to back. You guys were winning the challenges, and now you’ve lost three in a row. Vince, what does this tribe need to do to improve it’s performance? What is lacking from Yenisei?”

“Jeff, I’ll tell you this, I don’t think it’s that we need to be stronger or smarter,” Vince says. “It’s that we ain’t being a team, and we gotta start being one. We got some people who just aren’t on the same page with the rest of the tribe.”

“Who are those people?” Jeff asks.

“Uh… it’s the girls, down there at the end,” Vince says, pointing. “Mandy and Olivia.”

“Guilty as charged,” Mandy says, shrugging. “I’d say the same thing. It’s been over a week now that we’ve all been together, so… I think the dynamic is pretty clear and obvious. Olivia and I are on the outs, and one of us is probably going home tonight.”

“That’s pretty blunt,” Jeff says, a little taken aback.

“I mean, it’s true Jeff. I don’t mind being blunt,” Mandy says. “Sometimes you have to be. And I think it’s actually an advantage in the game to be aligned with someone like me, who is okay with being blunt, because I don’t hide where I stand. And I want to, while we’re here, just make it very, very clear: Charlotte, I am really, really sorry I blew up at you the other day. It was totally out of line. I took out my stress on you, and that was super unfair of me. I apologize for how I treated you.”

“I’ve been a little aggro the last few days, okay? I totally admit that I’ve gone a little stir crazy out here,” Mandy says. “But I’m loyal, Jeff. I’m a good, honest ally to have, and I feel like I’m a resource out here that these people aren’t making use of.”

“Well there’s a reason for that,” Vince says, “and that’s because you make an effort to separate you from us. Look, I can only speak for Vinnie, but I’d be happy to welcome Mandy as a part of this tribe with open arms, but she don’t want it, Jeff. She’s making it seem like it’s all on us, and it’s not. In fact, just the other day, Charlotte tries to reach out and talk with, uh, with Olivia down there, and Mandy just jumps in like a snapping little dog, just ready to bite her damn hand! I just think it’s funny, she’s making it sound like everyone else is doing something wrong–sweetheart,” he says turning directly to her. “If you have a problem with everyone, maybe the problem isn’t them.”

“Wow, thanks for being so condescending, Vince, I really appreciate it,” Mandy says, giving him a sarcastic thumbs up. “See, Jeff? This is how they treat me, and then they blame me for not making more of an effort.”

“Olivia,” Jeff says, “as someone else who was also pointed to as being considered on the outs, what’s your take on all of this?”

“I mean, I totally get where Mandy comes from, Jeff. I don’t think it’s anything malicious at play here, I don’t think anyone is being purposely excluded. I think that Zeke, in particular, actually, does a really, really good job of trying to make sure everyone feels heard and included. Mandy and I are just not like the rest of our tribe. In real life, she’s probably the only one of these people I could see myself being friends with, and that’s not meant to insult or demean anyone. We’re just different types of people, and sometimes in life that happens. It’s the randomness of the universe at work.”

“That’s a more than fair point,” Jeff responds, “but Olivia, by the same token, sometimes in life you have to work with people you don’t like.”

“No, absolutely,” Olivia says. “And like, in the workplace, I think that’s a little easier to do. Because most of us, for our jobs, we’re there for just a part of the day, we only have to be able to work as a team with our coworkers for so long. And then at the end of the day, you get to leave it all behind. You go home to your family, to your friends, you surround yourself with people that you choose to be spend your free time with. On Survivor, we’re together all the time. If the challenges are our office, it’s not like we all go our separate ways after. We go home together, we eat together, we sleep together. We’re together 24/7. There’s no break from the game, and that’s on top of the fact that we’re hungry, we’re tired, we’re cold–and it’s only getting colder, day by day. In a way, I was happy to go to Exile Island, just so I could get some time to myself.”

“Olivia brings up a good point about Exile Island,” Jeff says. “There’s an advantage in going, in that you get a break from the politics of the tribe. There is also a potential advantage in the hidden immunity idol. Zeke, has the possibility of Olivia finding an idol come up?”

“Of course,” Zeke laughs. “Absolutely, Jeff! Who wouldn’t think about it? You end up with a lot of time to just sit and think out here, and we’re living in the game, man. You think maybe every possible thought you can think about. There’s only one way to get the hidden immunity idol, and that’s to go out on Exile Island. You basically have to assume that anyone who has been out there has it. Better safe than sorry.”

“So Mandy,” Jeff says, “if you and Olivia are on the outs, and the tribe is operating under the assumption that Olivia has the idol, one could logically assume that you might be a potential target tonight.”

“Uh, duh,” Mandy laughs. “I’m terrified of that possibility, and that’s why I’m trying to stress so hard, right now, Jeff, that I am honest and I am loyal. Because I think there are people on this tribe who would be putting themselves in a better position in an alliance with me and Olivia than with certain other people.”

“Care to give names?” Jeff probes.

“I’m not putting anyone on the spot,” Mandy says. “The people I’m talking to know who they are.” Huang looks uncomfortable, looking at the ground as Mandy talks.

“Well it’s not me, then,” laughs Charlotte. “And that’s what makes it so scary, Jeff! The idol complicates everything. But I don’t blame Mandy for trying! That’s what I’d be doing in her situation, trying until the bitter end to get someone to change their mind. It’s frustrating, because I don’t want it to be me. But I can’t blame her for trying.”

“Huang,” Jeff says, redirecting his attention, “Does Mandy–or Olivia, for that matter, have any argument they could make that would potentially get you or another person to think about voting with them tonight?”

“Yeah, but it’s not that simple,” Huang says. “I think the problem goes deeper than just good or bad arguments. I think there’s deeper personality clash going on that was alluded to earlier. It’s not just a question of who is loyal or who is a threat. You’re also considering who you actually want to be around. Because like Olivia said, you don’t get to take a break from this, there is no pause button. Whoever is left tonight, we’re going back to that camp together and we’re going to have to put this behind us and go back to being a team. And I don’t want to go back to face that challenge with us being a tribe divided. So if there is someone that the majority of people can agree on, I think at this stage it’s the best move to keep the peace. Like, last time we were here Addy left, and that killed me, Jeff! That was my person out here, you know? But everyone else voted for her. It was what the tribe wanted, so as much as I may not have liked it, it was the tribe’s choice, and I had to accept that, you know?”

“Jeff, if you don’t mind me just piping up again,” Mandy says, “but again, keeping with the theme of being honest, I have to say, Huang, I think that’s really short sighted thinking on your part.” Gunnar looks annoyed at Mandy.

“Okay, well, I don’t think that,” Huang shrugs. “So sorry.”

“Gunnar,” Jeff notes, “you’ve been staying pretty quiet. What’s your take on this, because in a lot of ways, this dichotomy that Mandy and Huang are talking about, it can be boiled down to a question of head vs heart. Which one do you let lead the way when it comes to your decision making, especially as you prepare to vote?”

“You have to be ready and willing to use your head,” Gunnar says. “Even when your heart is screaming at you not to listen. But it’s knowing when to override your heart that’s the key. Because sometimes your feelings get it right. If you feel miserable all the time, your feelings are telling you that something about your situation has to change. But by the same token, sometimes you might feel anxious before doing something that you don’t want to do; and then once you’re done, you feel ridiculous for worrying in the first place, because you had no reason to worry. I don’t think that it’s a question of head versus heart, it’s knowing when to use each.”

“Well, it sounds like everyone knows what they’re doing, so why not get to it?” Jeff says. “It’s time to vote. Gunnar, you’re up first.”

Gunnar casts his vote.

Mandy casts her vote.

Huang casts his vote.

“You’re trouble for me, on so. Many. Levels. I really hope I can trust the people I’m trusting, because I want you gone.”

Zeke casts his vote.

“You’re a bright kid, but I don’t know what you’re doing out here in this game. Go back home to the city, solve your crimes there, it’s where you’ll be of more use, sorry.”

Charlotte goes to cast her vote. She begins to write something, but she stops, crosses it out, and pauses. She taps her foot, looking concerned.

Out in the Tribal Council main area, Gunnar looks over at the booth, confused.

“What’s taking her so long?” Mandy whispers to Olivia.

Charlotte casts her vote.

When Charlotte returns, Vince takes her hand to get her attention as she sits down. “What was that?” he whispers.

“I’ll go tally the votes,” Jeff says, heading off to collect the urn. Mandy and Olivia take each other’s hands, Olivia looking anxious as they wait. Zeke stares straight ahead, lost in thought. Jeff returns, placing the urn before him.

“If anyone has a hidden immunity idol and would like to play it,” Jeff begins, “now would be the time to do so.”

“Here’s how it will work,” Jeff explains. “There is going to be a revote. Mandy, Charlotte, neither of you will vote. The rest of you must vote for either Mandy or Charlotte. Understood?”

Everyone nods.

“Alright, then it’s time to vote. Gunnar, come take this and go cast your vote,” Jeff says, holding out the urn. Gunnar sighs as he comes up to take the urn.

Gunnar replaces the urn and casts his vote.

Huang casts his vote.

Olivia casts her vote.

Zeke casts his vote.

Vince casts his vote.

Vince returns and takes his seat. “I’ll go tally the votes,” Jeff says. He heads off to, once again, fetch the urn. Mandy looks down, on the verge of tears. Olivia looks over at Charlotte, who is staring into the fire.

“Once the votes are read,” Jeff repeats, “The person who is voted out will be asked to leave the Tribal Council area immediately. I’ll read the votes. First vote…”

“Mandy.”

“Charlotte.”

“Mandy, that’s two Mandy.”

“… the third person voted out of Surivor: Siberia–Mandy. Mandy, that’s three, that’s enough. I need you to bring me your torch.”

“Tonight, it seems you guys made a decision in the name of unity by voting out someone who was considered an outsider. Unfortunately for you, you did it in the least unified way possible with a tied vote. Whatever circumstances lead to this–for all of your sakes, I hope you figure out how to smooth those over. You guys can grab your stuff and head back to camp. Goodnight.”

“I’ll explain when we get back,” Charlotte whispers to Zeke. They grab their torches, Olivia the last one out, her face still wet with tears for her only friend.

Thirteen remain. Who will be the next to go?

NEXT TIME ON… SURVIVOR!

Chaos takes over at Yenisei in the aftermath of the Tribal Council, while bonds continue to form on Koryok.

A reward gives way to a wild night for the winning tribe.

And one castway, desperate to change their fate, makes the most game shaking move of the season.

“I’m still trying to figure out what the hell just happened,” she laughs. “My brain is going a million miles a minute trying to make sense of what went down. Gunnar’s plan should have worked but something changed, obviously, because I’m sitting here instead of Charlotte. And oh, my god, does it suck to know she outlasted me. But I’ll get over it, because you know what? There is a pizza with my name on it waiting for me. You know, I think a lot of this for me was just about proving how tough I was to myself, and I learned that I have limits. If I take away something from this, that’s better than nothing. And I’m coming away from this with a friend, too, in Olivia. I love her to death, and I hope she can find that idol and keep trucking forward.”